Commencement victory.

Rachel Honer, 18, recently graduated from Winneconne High School in Winneconne, Wisconsin. Anxious to participate in the June 8th commencement, she asked Principal Jim Smasal a few weeks in advance if she could sing during the ceremony. Smasal told her that she could, provided that she was selected by a committee formed by school officials to choose graduation speakers and performers.

The committee picked Rachel and asked her to submit the lyrics of the song she planned to sing. She chose, "He's Always Been Faithful," by Christian recording artist Sara Groves. The spiritual piece specifically mentions God three times.

On May 7th, in the wake of the committee's review of the lyrics, Principal Smasal informed Rachel that she would not be allowed to perform the song unless the word "God" was replaced by such alternatives as "He," "Him," and "His." Smasal and Winneconne School District Superintendent Robert Reinke claimed that the song might otherwise prove offensive to some people and violate church-state separation.

Believing that she would be both a "liar and a hypocrite" if she sang the censored version of the song, Rachel did some research on freedom of religion, then contacted the Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties organization specializing in the defense of constitutional and human rights.

On May 28th, the institute filed suit on her behalf in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Wisconsin, contending that the school district had violated her rights of free speech, religious expression, and equal protection of the law. The complaint requested a permanent injunction prohibiting the school district from censoring the religious song. Rutherford Institute President John Whitehead told reporters that by precluding references to God, school officials "are sending the message to Rachel, her classmates and every member of her community that 'Your faith is offensive and must be kept to yourself.' But the right to speak freely protects religious students who wish to acknowledge God at this important point in their lives, and does not permit singling out students of faith for censorship when the non-religious or even the irreligious are not treated this way." School district attorney Tony Renner argued that case law supported the district's position, and that "the district's actions are necessary to avoid the appearance of state sponsorship of religion that would violate the law."

On May 29th, the school district and Rachel's Rutherford-affiliated attorney, Thomas McClure, reached a settlement that allowed her to sing the song uncensored. Under the agreement, Rachel was listed in the printed commencement program as a "graduation performer" and agreed not to mention God in her spoken introduction to the song. McClure told reporters that his client "feels great" and is "glad this all has worked out."

In a May 30th press release, Rutherford's John Whitehead speculated that the school district quickly caved in to avoid "a tough court challenge" and "a public relations disaster." He described the settlement as "a great victory for free speech and freedom of religion," adding: "We are hopeful that school districts around the country will cease discriminating against religious students and ensure that they are treated equally and on the same basis as others."

Rachel's mother told the May 30th Journal Sentinel that her daughter plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and major in music education. In the wake of the recent controversy, she is considering a minor in political science.